Posts tagged Jeremy Hill

Google is currently rolling out Android 4.3 to a handful of devices, such as the Nexus 7. It’s a rather tame update as far as brand new front-facing features are concerned, but Google has made a change under the hood that has improved my tablet’s performance.
In recent days, it was discovered that Google added support for fstrim. Without going into super technical details, fstrim basically does a better job of freeing up data that isn’t being used by the tablet.
Think of the old Nexus 7 as a closet that held all the things you did and didn’t need. Fstrim is like...

Ever since Google released the Nexus 7, it has been a challenge for other companies to release low-priced tablets with similar specs. One of the latest competitors to enter the fray is Hisense. Perhaps best known for televisions, Hisense just released a couple Android tablets available exclusively at Walmart. The Sero 7 Pro and the Sero 7 LT cost $149 and $99 respectively. The Sero 7 Pro has specs that are on par with the Nexus 7, but it even manages to offer features Google’s tablet doesn’t have.
Here is a rundown of the Sero 7 Pro’s specs:
• Android 4.2.1 Jelly Bean
• 1.3GHz Nvidia Tegra 3 processor
• 1GB...

Flipboard for Android finally received an update to version 2.0. The biggest new feature of this update is the ability to create and share personalized magazines. This feature was first introduced for iOS a couple months ago. Flipboard 2.0 also utilizes Android’s native sharing functionality. You’ll be able to save content to a Flipboard magazine from other applications such as the photo gallery or Web browser. Once you create a magazine, you can choose to share it on social networks, through email or text message.
One downside to the magazines is that some articles can’t be read in full from the Flipboard application. You’ll...

One of my chief complaints about Feedly has been alleviated in the service's latest update. The Feedly app has a new vertically-focused layout that is more in line with what Google Reader users are used to. You can now view headlines and a few lines of text without getting distracted by a plethora of images. The Feedly Web app has also been updated with a “title only” layout that is designed to handle a lot bulk. This is exactly what Feedly needed to make Google Reader users feel more at home.
Although the layout change is the most important part of...

The announcement of Google Reader’s shutdown has caused developers of other RSS readers to prepare themselves for an influx of users. Feedly happens to be one of those developers. Feedly revealed on its blog that it has been preparing to deal with Google Reader’s eventual closure for awhile. The fruits of its labor is a Google Reader API clone it's been referring to as project Normandy. When Google Reader goes away on July 1, Normandy will make the transition super easy for any Feedly user.
Feedly told GigaOM it’s possible for other developers to use its cloned API just like Google’s official API.
“Our goal is...

By Jeremy Hill
Asus recently revealed its new MeMO Pad tablet that’s going to be released in “emerging markets” this month, and the United States in April. This 7-inch tablet will be priced at $150, and it specifications go right along with its budget price. The MeMO Pad isn’t meant to lure anyone away from the Nexus 7 (which Asus also manufacturers) but those looking to save a little money may find this device enticing.
The MeMO Pad has a 7-inch 1024×600 display, 1GB of RAM, a 1GHz processor, 8GB-16GB of expandable storage and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. This tablet also differs from...

By Jeremy Hill | for Gadget Tell
Pocket (previously known as Read it Later) released an interesting update for its Android app last week: Known as the "Listen" feature and part of the Android 4.2 update, Pocket can now read your articles to you.
It's easy enough to use: You simply open any article you've previously saved, press "Listen," and then sit back as Pocket reads the article to you, word for word.
It’s a neat update, but is it practical? Here are our impressions:
I think Google’s artificial intelligence voices are among the best in the industry. For example, the voice assistant within Google Now sounds...

By Jeremy Hill | for Gadgetell
Apple spent its entire media event this past Wednesday showing off the iPhone 5, the fifth generation iPod Touch, the iPod Nano and updated software for iOS and iTunes. We didn’t hear a peep about the fabled 7-inch iPad, so it’s fair to assume that’s being saved for a later event. However, I’m not so sure it will be the Nexus 7 destroyer many have made it out to be--assuming it’s real.
Here’s the problem:
The 7-inch iPad is believed to be a more budget-friendly version of the full sized iPad. It’s supposed to swoop in and completely...